Shooting gallery



y 2, 935- c. w. GRIFHTH 2,007 083 SHOOTING GALLERY Filed Aug. 6, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l g! I 51400144301, q vlimaoo 67' July 2, 1935. c. w. GRIFFITH SHOOTING GALLERY Filed Aug. 6, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Svvuemtoz Patented July 2, 1935 I SHOOTING GALLERY Charles W. Griflith, Tulsa, Okla., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Rayolite Rifle Range Company, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Oklahoma Application August 6, 1934, Serial No. 738,767 R l 12 Claims. (Cl. 12415) The invention aims to provide a new and imget, the various electrical units and the preferred proved shooting gallery in which a flash of light wiring. is projected from a. gun upon pulling of the trig- The gallery includes a gun 45 having an elecger, to operate a signal if the aim be accurate, trio light bulb 46 and a lens 41 for projecting a through the instrumentality of a photo-electric beam of light toward a target. In the present 5- cell and amplifier. disclosure, this target is of the traveling type and Another object is to provide novel means for is provided with a plurality of target portions 48 driving a traveling target until the gun trigger which may simulate ducks, said target portions has been pulled a predetermined number of b n p vo e a 49 upon'hases 50 Which are times and for then discontinuing operation of cured to an endless belt 5|. Belt 5| is trained 10 the entire gallery. The target driving means and around pul and 53 Whose Shafts 54 and 55 the bulb illuminating means are preferably iniare suitably mounted upon a. base 56. An electially conditioned for operation by means of a trio motor M is mounted on the base 56 to drive coin switch and the person shooting is permitted ne O t e be t P y t0 fi travel of the to fire a predetermined number of shots for get p ts 43 d in e present Showing. DH 15 the coin he inserts. leys 51 and 58, a belt 59 and a transmission 60,

A still further object is the provision of unique t an t power from sa motor M to t s a t means for breaking the bulb circuit a fraction of fle target portion 43 is formed W a a second after illumination of the bulb, preventp n B a d t d on the as 50 h nd ing the user from making attempts to focus the id p ning, is a photo-electric cell 62. If the 20 light beam upon the photo-electric cell after a p on p ac directs the light flash from e shot has been fired. bulb 46 through the opening 6| against the cell A still further object is to make provision for e target Dertien 48 wecieted with a Cell, moving the target portion at which the gun was drops, and at the a time a Signal y be Op aimed to a struck position if the aim be accuated, all of which will be hereinafter fully ex- 25 rate. plained.

Yet another object is to associate a plurality Each base 50 carries contacts 63 f its 0611 of electrical units in a. novel and advantageous 62 and said contacts are co-operable with fixed way to attain the desired e ds, contact rails 64 and with other means herein- With the foregoing in view, the invention reafter described to s t dropping f the a 30 sides in the novel subject matter hereinafter deand if desired, Operatic! 0 e a scribed and claimed, description being accom- Each target Portion 43 is q pp With an plished by reference to the accompanying drawarm 55 and during travel 9 Sa d ta P 1 ings. with the upper reach of belt 5|, said arm lies Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the t against or near a trip rail 66 which is carried by 3. ing target, its driving means d t supporting an arm 61 hingedly mounted on the base 56. A base. The mot i shown mgunted upon this spring 68 holds arm 61 in normal position and base and while various other electrical units used a duck r gleam-magnet 69 is provided to i carrying out the invention may also. be mount swing said arm 67, causing rail 66 to strike arm ed upon said base, they have been omitted from 65 and cause the target portion 46 to drop. The 40 Fig 1 f cleamess I electro-magnet 69 becomes energined only when Fig 2 is a perspective View showing the Vari the flash of light from the bulb 46 is so accurateous electrical elements mounted upon the target 1y aimed as to strike the photo'elecmc cell In addition to electrical contrivances so far gggi gfigfi g fig i g i ggg Opposite mentioned, various other electrical units and 45 wirin erefor are em 10 ed and ill no be Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view g th p y W W descrbed, and id units ma well be mounted through the upper portion of the traveling target on base 6 showing one of the i mouPted target F Ill denotes a coin slot starting switch located trons, the photo-electric cell associated therewith, at the Shooting post H, f bringing the motor 50 and the means for efiecting movement of said M into play to drive the target and for DreDartarget portion to a struck position if $11.8 aim ing the entire gallery for operation 0 th n be $0 at as to Ca se t e light 12 refers to a trigger switch carried by the gun flash to strike the photo-electric cell. 45 and serving primarily to illuminate the Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the gun, the tarbulb 46. 55

13 refers to a normally open shot limit switch which controls the number of shots which may be fired upon insertion of one coin in switch 16. This limit switch 13 includes a series of contacts 14, a contact arm 15 co-operable with said contacts, ratchet means 16 for advancing said arm 15 step by step along the contacts 14, an actuating coil C for actuating said ratchet means 16, a detent H for holding said ratchet means after each operation thereof, a reset coil C for releasing said detent l1, and a spring I8 for moving the contact arm 15 to a closed starting position when detent I1 is released.

The reference character A, denotes a two pole relay which stands normally open; B has reference to a three pole relay which also stands normally open, and C refers to a third and normally closed relay.

19 refers to a photo-electric relay and 89 to photo-electric amplifying means. T denotes a transformer, 8| refers to a rectifier and 82 indicates a thud sounder for imitating the report of' a gun. 83 denotes a bell and 84 a transformer therefor, both optional.

The various electrical units above described are operatively connected with each other and with two current sources, 6 volt D. C. and 110 volt A. C., by means of wiring to which the numbers I to 42 have been applied. All of the wiring will be clear from Fig. 4 and the following explanation of operation, without encumbering the description with an individual statement concerning each wire and such surplusage is therefore omitted.

When the device is not in use, all parts stand as seen in Fig. 4, the contact arm 15 of limit switch 13 being then beyond the series of contacts 14. When a person wishes to use the device, the first act is the placing of coin in coin slot of switch 10 which completes circuit from 6 volt source along wire 2 through coin slot switch 10, along wire I to to 8 through actuating coil of relay A along wire 9 to Hi through reset coil C in shot limit switch, along wire back to 6 volt source. When coil C is thus energized, it releases detent 71 and spring 18 swings contact arm 15 to the closed starting or home position seen in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The current through the actuating coil of relay A causes the circuits to be completed across contacts which causes current from 110 volt source to flow from wire l6 to l8 through relay contacts to l9 to 20 through primary coil or rectifier to 2| to 22 to 23 to to 110 volt source. Wire 24 connects to wire |9-20 which connects to motor M allowin current to flow through motor to wire 2|-2223-|1 to 110 volt source. From wire 24 current also flows to wire 25 which connects to transformer T allowing current to flow through primary winding of transformer T to 23 to H to source.

Current flowing through primary coil in rectifier 8| by inherent construction of rectifier, presents a source of 30 volt D. C. current at wires 12 and I3. Contact arm 15 of shot limit switch 13 now being in home position, current flows from |3 to I4 through shot limit switch to 5 to 9 through actuating coil of relay A to 8 to 1 connecting to wire ||2, to newly established 30 volt source at rectifier 8|.

When relay A is first energized, current can fiow through relay contacts from l9 to 40 which lead to photo-electric relay 19. This current does not fiow, however, until relay 18 is closed by photo-electric cell 62 through amplifier 89, etc.

summarily then, the placing of coin in slot switch 10 returned shot limit switch to home position" closed relay A, which put rectifier 8| in service, started motor M which started target moving, and provided a 6 volt A. C. source of current from transformer T at wires 35 and 36.

It might be well to point out that while the original actuating current for relay A comes from 6 volt source, as soon as rectifier 8| begins to operate and shot limit switch 13 is in,home position", relay A is held in closed position by the current from said rectifier 8| until current is interrupted by shot limit switch 13.

The gallery is now ready for the actual shooting operation. When trigger switch 12 on gun 45 is pulled, current flows from rectifier- 8| along wire l2 to to 4, through trigger switch 12 to 3 through actuating coil C in shot limit switch 13 to 26 to 28 through actuating coil of relay B to 29 to 36 to l3 to source. Energizing coil C in shot limit switch 13, as previously explained, moves contact arm I5 one position.

Closing of relay B completed 3 circuits thus: 1. From 6 volt A. C. source at transformer T current flows through 35 to 34 across contacts in relay C to 33 across contacts in relay B to 5 to light bulb 46 in gun to 6 to 36 to source. 2. From 30 volt source at rectifier 8| current flows along wire I2 to to 4 through gun trigger switch 12 to 3 through coil C in shot limit switch to 26 to 21 through actuating coil of relay C to 32 across contacts in relay B to 3| to 30 to I3 to source. 3. From 6 volt source at transformer T along 35 to 39 through actuating coil of thud sounder 82 to 38 across contacts at relay B to 31 to 36 to source.

The first of these three newly completed circuits illuminates the light 46 in gun 45. The second causes-relay C to open, breaking circuit to the light 46. The fact that relay C is so adjusted as to cause it to operate a fraction of a second slower than relay B allows light to flash for an instant only. The third of these circuits completed causes the thud to sound. If the aim of the gun has not been accurate no further action takes place. If the aim is such that the flash of light from bulb 46 contacts photo-electric cell 61 current flows from amplifying unit 88 through cell 62 and rails 64 causing photoelectric relay 19 to operate. This allows 110 volt A. C. current from contacts at relay A to flow along wire 40 tl'n'oug'h photo-electric relay 19 to 4| through magnet 69 on duck drop to 42 to H to source. If bell 83 and transformer 84 are connected, the flow of current in the primary of transformer 83 is simultaneous with that in duck drop, which causes bell 83 to sound.

When trigger of gun has been pulled ten times, the contact arm of shot limit switch 13 no longer completed circuit M to l5. Breaking this circuit causes relay A to break 110 volt circuit which causes rectifier 8| to cease functionally, motor M to stop and transformer T to cease operation. The gallery then is "dead, ready for another sequence of events as just described.

While excellent results are attainable from the construction shown and described and such construction may be considered as preferred, variations may of course be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

It will be noted that the gun used in my combination is entirely supported by the operator. He treats it, handles it and. uses it just as any ordinary gun is used, the only connection between the gun and any other part of the mechanism is the light flexible electric cable which terminates in the gun mechanism. The gun can be laid down, picked up, moved around, manipulated without any reference whatever to any of the working mechanisms outside of the gun.

The switch and trigger combination in the gun is so set up that a single pull on the trigger causes a single dash of light'only to be projected. Whether the operator holds the trigger or not makes no diiierence. Nothing but a single flash is projected, as distinguished from a continuous beam, so that if the gun is not aimed at the target at the instant the flash is projected, subsequent correction of the aim makes no difference. It is this fiash arrangement and this entire portability oi the gun which makes my device difierent from other non-bullet target shooting devices because it enables the user to do exactly what he would do if he were firing a bullet.

I claim:-

1. In a shooting gallery, a traveling target having a photo-electric cell, a photo-electric amplifier, means operatively connecting said cell and amplifier, said connecting means including stationary contact means, and traveling contact means engaging said stationary means and movable with the target, signal means actuated by the current from said amplifier if said cell be struck by a light flash, and a manually aimed gun for projecting a light flash toward the target.

2; A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target, a driving motor for said target, a gun having an electric light source for projecting a hash of light at said target, a trigger switch on said gun for efiecting completion of a circuit through said light source, means for establishing a circuit for said motor including a shot limit switch having electrical actuating means which must be successively operated to finally open said shot limit switch, and a circuit for said electrical actuating means controlled by saidtrigger switch.

3. A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target, a driving motor for said target, a gun having an electric light source for projecting a light flash at said target, a trigger switch on said gun for effecting completion of a circuit for said light source, means for establishing a circuit for said motor including a normally open relay, 9. starting switch for energizing said relay to operate the motor, a shot limit switch which remains closed during operation of the gallery, means including said shot limit switch for maintaining a circuit to hold said relay closed as long as said shot limit switch remains closed, and means for automatically advancing said shot limit switch toward a final open posigon each time said trigger switch is operated.

4. A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target, a driving motor for said target, .a gun having an electric light source for projecting a light flash atsaid target, a trigger switch on said gun for eifecting completion of a circuit for said light source, means or establishing a circuit for said motor including a normally open relay and a normally open shot limit switch which must be initially moved to a closed starting position, said shot limit switch having a reset coil for moving it to said starting position, a starting switch for completing a circuit through the actuating coil of said relay and through said reset coil to move said shot limit switch to closed position and operate vthe motor, means including said shot limit switch for maintaining a circuit through said relay as long as said shot limit' switch remains closed, and means for automati cally advancing said shot limit switch toward open position each time said trigger switch is operated.

5. A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target; a driving motor for said target; agun having a light source for directing a light flash at said target; a trigger switch on said gun; a normally open shot limit switch having an actuating coil for advancing it toward its open position, and a reset coil for returning it to a closed starting position; a normally open relay con- .nected to complete a circuit for said motor; a

starting switch connected to direct current through said reset coil and through the actuating coil of said relay to reset said shot limit switch at starting position and to close said relay to operate the motor; means including said relay for directing a circuit through said shot limit switch and through the actuating coil of said relay to hold the latter closed as long as said shot limit switch remains closed; a second normally open relay; a third and normally closed relay; said second relay being connected to direct current through said light source and said third relay and to direct current through the actuating coil of said third relay to break the light circuit; said trigger switch being connected to direct current through said actuating coil of said shot limit switch to advance the latter toward open position and to direct current through the actuating coil of said second relay to operate the motor and energize the actuating coil of said third relay; said third relay being adjusted to lag behind said second relay before opening to break the light circuit.

6. A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target; a driving motor for said target; a gun having a light source for directing a light flash at said target; a trigger switch on said gun; a normally open shot limit switch having an actuatlng coil for advancing it toward its open position, and a reset coil for returning it to a closed starting position; a normally open relay connected to complete a circuit for said motor; a starting switch connected to direct current through said reset coil and through the actuating coil of said relay to reset said shot limit switch at starting position and to close said relay to operate the motor; means including said relay for directing a circuit through said shot limit switch and through the actuating coil of said relay to hold the latter closed as long as said shot limit switch remains closed; a second normally open relay; a third and normally closed relay; said second relay being connected to direct current throughsaid light source and said third relay and.

to cooperate with the aforesaid trigger switch to direct current through the actuating coil of said third relay to break the light circuit; said trigger switch being connected to direct current through said actuating coil of said shot limit switch to advance the latter toward open position and to direct current through the actuating coil of said second relay to operate the motor and energize the actuating coil of said third relay; said third relay being adjusted to lag behind said second relay before opening to break the light circuit.

7. A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target; a driving motor for said target; a gun having a light source for directing a light flash at said target; a trigger switch on said gun; a normally open shot limit switch having an actuating coil for advancing it toward its open position, and a reset coil for returning it to a closed starting position; a rectifier and a transformer;

a normally open relay for actuating said rectifier and transformer and operating said motor; a switch connected to direct current through said reset coil and through the actuating coil of said relay to reset said shot limit switch at starting position and to close said relay, causing the latter to actuate said rectifier, said transformer and said motor; means for directing a circuit from said rectifier through said shot limit switch and the actuating coil of said relay to hold thelatter closed as long as said shot limit switch remains closed; a second normally open relay; a third and normally closed relay; said second relay being connected to direct current from said transformer through said light source and said third relay and to direct current from said rectifier through the actuating coil of said third relay; said trigger switch being connected to direct current from said rectifier through said actuating coil of said shot limit switch to advance the latter toward open position and to direct current from said rectifier through the actuating coil of said second relay to operate the motor and energize the actuating coil of said third relay, said third relay being adjusted to lag behind said second relay before opening-to break the light circuit.

8. A shooting gallery comprising a traveling target; a driving motor for said target; a gun having a light source for directing a light fiash at said target; a trigger switch on said gun; a normally open shot limit switch having an actuating coil for advancing it toward its open position, and a reset coil forreturning it to a closed starting position; a rectifier and a transformer; a normally open relay for actuating said rectifier and transformer and operating said motor; a switch connected to direct current through said reset coil and through the actuating coil of said relay to reset said shot limit switch at starting position and to 'close said relay. causing the latter to actuate said rectifier, said transformer and said motor; means for directing a circuit from said rectifier through said shot limit switch and the actuating coil of said relay to hold the latter closed as long,as said shot limit switch remains closed; a second normally open relay; a third and normally closed relay; said second relay being connected to direct current from said transformer through said light source and said third'relay and to co-operate with said trigger switch to direct current from said rectifier through the actuating coil of said third relay; said trigger switch being connected to direct current from said rectifier through said actuating coil of said shot limit switch to advance the latter toward open position and to direct current from said rectifier through the actuating coil of said second relay to operate the motor and energiz e the actuating coil of said third relay, said third relay being adjusted to lag behind said second relay before opening to break the light circuit.

9. In a shooting gallery, a gun having a light source for projecting a light fiash, a trigger switch on said gun, a normally open relay and a normally closed relay, said trigger switch being connected to energize and close said normally open relay, said normally open relay being connected to direct current through said light source and through said normally closed relay to illuminate said light source, said normally open relay being connected to energize and open said normally closed relay to break the bulb circuit, said normally closed relay being adjusted to lag behind said normally open relay before opening and breaking the light circuit.

10. A shooting gallery comprising a movable target and means for moving the target, a drop" operatively associated with the target, means for releasably holding the drop in raised position, said target being provided with an aperture, a light-sensitive cell carried by the target and movable therewith, said cell being aligned with said aperture and positioned to be struck by a fiash of light accurately directed at the target, and means operatively connecting the "drop holding means and said lightsensitive cell whereby when a flash of light impinges on said cell the holding means is actuated to release the drop" to indicate a hit.

11. A shooting gallery comprising a movable target and means for moving the target, a drop operatively associated with the target, means for releasably holding the drop" in raised position, said target being provided with an aperture, a light-sensitive cell carried by the target and movable therewith, said cell being aligned with said aperture and positioned to be struck by a flash of light accurately directed at the target, a gun having a light source for projecting a flash of light, trigger mechanism for controlling the light source, shot limiting means associated with the gun, means effective to deenergize the target moving means in response to a predetermined number of operations of the trigger, and means operatively conecting the drop holding means and said light-sensitive cell whereby when a flash of light from the gun impinges on said cell the holding means is actuated to release the drop to indicate a hit.

12. In a shooting gallery a gun having a light source for projecting a flash of light, an electrical circuit for energizing said light source, a trigger switch on said gun, means under control of said trigger switch for energizing said circuit for illuminating said light source, a second circuit including a relay, said second circuit being energized in response to actuation of said trigger switch, said relay being arranged to break said first mentioned circuit immediately after the circuit is closed.

- CHARLES W. GR.IFFITI-I. 

